Auxiliary accessory for the choice of a hairstyle

ABSTRACT

Auxiliary fitting for selecting a hairstyle comprising a support ( 1 ) that can be worn, in a removable manner, by a person on his/her head, and a plurality of locks ( 2, 3 ) being connectable to said support. Advantageously, at least two locks that are different to each other, preferably by size and/or shape and/or colour can be connected to said support.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wearable fitting (or accessory) that has the purpose of helping a person to select a hairstyle (haircut) he/she wishes for his/her hair.

Here and hereafter, by “hairstyle” is meant the result of doing or setting a persons' hair, according to any aesthetic model comprising, either together or separately, combing, cutting, shaping, colouring, etc., whether partially or totally, a person's hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide auxiliary fittings for selecting a hairstyle that, once worn by a user, simulate the shape and colour of an alternate hairstyle. Generally, these fittings comprise a support, normally a hairband that can be worn by the user on his head and to which there can be removably fixed some interchangeable locks of hair, whether natural or false.

The model U.S. Pat. No. D 465.615 (Brunelle) describes a similar hairband for a lock of a certain colour that is selected from a set of locks of different colours to be fixed thereto in a non-permanent manner, such as to simulate the effect, on the user, of a given hair tint. Accordingly, the user of the hairband can fasten the lock of the desired colour to the hairband, then wear the hairband and look in a mirror the effect that this hair colour would make on his/her appearance. When the result is not satisfactory, then the user can simply replace the lock being fixed to the hairband with a second lock of a different colour, and then wear the hairband once again to evaluate the aesthetic effect that would be obtained with the colour of the new lock of hair.

Though this fitting ensures a good representation of the aesthetic effect that would result if the user should decide to colour his/her hair with the colour of the selected lock, nevertheless it does not allow to compare two or more different colours of the locks in an accurate and prompt manner. In fact, with the hairband described in the patent U.S. Pat. No. D 465.615, in order to carry out such a comparison the user must necessarily remove the hairband provided with the lock in a first colour from his/her head, then replace the lock and wear the hairband again, then evaluate the effect of the new lock and compare the same with the effect obtained with the preceding lock only mnemonically, without being able of visually confronting the different effect being produced by the various colours.

Furthermore, the hairband described in the Brunelle's patent does not provide the possibility of fastening locks having different shape and size with respect to each other to the hairband, and thus it does not allow to represent a hairstyle in a complete manner, but only the colour of the latter.

The German patent DE 41 36 983 A1 (SN-Colours J.E. Erdtmann Gmbh) relates to a fitting for selecting a tint for a person's hair comprising a textile support on which there are fixed some locks of hair in different colours, which are arranged parallel to each other. The user of such a fitting can place the textile support on his/her shoulders, the locks being left to flow on his/her chest, and can then compare by looking in a mirror the different aesthetic effects that the various colours would generate on his/her appearance, at the same time.

This fitting described in patent DE 41 36 983 A1 allows the user to visually compare, at the same time, various colours that may be selected as the hair tint, but does not allow the user to get an effective representation of the appearance that would be obtained by using the various colours as the hair tint.

This fitting, in fact, does not provide the presence of means suitable to simulate the appearance that would be obtained by the user with different hair tints, such as the hairband illustrated in patent U.S. Pat. No. D 465.615, and accordingly it can only provide generic indications about the compatibility of a certain colour with the structural and chromatic characteristics of the person who wishes to change his/her hair tint.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary fitting for selecting a person's hairstyle, which allows the user of this fitting both to compare different colours, sizes and shapes for his/her hair at the same time, and to obtain an accurate representation of his/her appearance as would result from a different hairstyle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary fitting for selecting a person's hairstyle which is practical and quick to use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fitting for selecting a hairstyle which is effective as well as easily feasible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects are achieved by the auxiliary fitting for selecting a hairstyle according to the first independent claim and the subsequent dependent claims.

The auxiliary fitting for selecting a hairstyle, according to the present invention, comprises a support that can be removably worn by a person on his/her head as well as a plurality of locks connectable to this support. Advantageously, at least two locks being different to each other by size and/or shape and/or colour can be connected to this support.

The simultaneous use of at least two locks having different sizes and/or shapes and/or colours on a support that can be placed on a person's head allows the latter to promptly compare what would be his/her appearance in the event that his/her hair were styled according to either one of the at least two locks being provided on the support.

Preferably, both locks are also arranged such as to be simultaneously and separately seen by the user of the fitting, when the latter is properly worn, in order to allow the user to carry out an effective visual comparison and then a precise evaluation of the appearance that he/she would obtain with a hairstyle being styled according to one of the two different locks.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, furthermore, the locks are removably fastened to the support such as to be replaced one by one on the same support with different locks, in order to be able to compare a large number of the same without having to change the support.

Again, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support consists of a hairband, or a band or a wig cap, and the locks are removably connected to this support by non-permanent fixing means consisting, for example, of a Velcro® strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some preferred exemplary embodiments will be described herein below, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an auxiliary fitting for selecting a hairstyle according to a particular aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the support and a lock portion of the fitting from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the fitting from FIG. 1, with locks having different shapes and colours from those being illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of an auxiliary fitting for choosing the hairstyle, according to another aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures as a whole, the auxiliary fitting for selecting a hairstyle according to the present invention comprises a wearable support 1; 201 that can be removably arranged on a person's head and can be for example in the form of a hairband 1, such as in the embodiment from FIGS. 1-3, a wig cap 201, such as illustrated in FIG. 4, or a flexible band, not illustrated. The fitting according to the present invention also comprises a plurality of locks 2, 3; 102, 103; 202 that can be connected to the support 1; 201, preferably in a removable manner.

With “lock” is meant, in the present application, a substantially uniform set of hair, whether natural or false, or other suitable materials, which is grouped, for example, on a upholding element, in order to partially simulate or represent a hairstyle.

The support and the locks of the present invention are configures such that on support 1; 201 there can be fastened at least two locks 2, 3, or 102, 103; 202 that are different by size and/or shape and/or colour, such that the user of the fitting can promptly view, for example in a mirror, or by means of a photograph, or any other form of representation of his/her appearance, the aesthetic changes that a hairstyle being made according to either one or the two different locks 2, 3 or 102, 103 would produce on his/her person.

Particularly, with reference to FIGS. 1-3, the coupling on the wearable support, which in this case is a hairband 1, of two locks 102, 103 of hair, whether natural or false, having (as schematically illustrated in FIG. 3) two different colours, or two (even slightly) different nuances of the same colour, allows the user to visually select the tint colour that he/she wishes for his/her hair and which results to be the most suited to the chromatic features of his/her face.

Furthermore, when the different locks 2, 3 being simultaneously fastened to the support 1, in addition to a different colour, also have a different cut, length and style, the user of the fitting according to the present invention not only is able to select, by direct confrontation, the tint he desires for his/her hair, but also the shape of the latter that best fits his/her physical characteristics.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, in order to allow the user to simply compare several colors, or nuances thereof, shapes and sizes (for example the length) that are taken by the locks 2, 3 or 102, 103, the fitting can comprise means 4, 5 for fixing at least one of the two locks 2, 3, 102, 103, in a non-permanent manner on the support 1, which is able to removably fasten at least one of these locks 2, 3, 102, 103 to the same support 1. These non-permanent fixing means, in a simple embodiment thereof such as illustrated in FIG. 2, can consist of a Velcro® strip, the male (or female) band 4 thereof being fixed to hair flocks, either natural or false, for example making up a lock 2 of the fitting, with the female (or male) band corresponding thereto being integrally fastened to the hairband 1.

The mutual approach, with a slight pressure, and the mutual separation, by pulling-off, determines the engagement and disengagement of the male band 4 with the female band 5 of the Velcro® strip, and accordingly the engagement and disengagement of the locks 2, 3 with the hairband 1, respectively. Consequently, due to the presence of such non-permanent fixing means 4, 5 it becomes very simple for the user to replace the locks 2, 3, 102, 103 on the hairband 1 or change the spacial arrangement of the same thereon.

Optionally, by partially overlapping locks of different nuances of a same colour may provide the user of the fitting with valuable indications on the possible use of an intermediate nuances for his/her hair, which had not been envisaged among the available locks.

In the particular embodiment of the present invention, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the different locks 2, 3 and 102, 103 may instead be fastened to the hairband 1 such that they do not overlap each other, and thus they can be simultaneously and separately distinguished by the user of the fitting.

In this way, though the user cannot identify any intermediate hues obtained by combining two overlapping colors, a better perception of the chromatic and shape differences of both locks 2, 3 or 102, 103 being coupled on the hairband 1, thereby the user can better evaluate the appearance that the hairstyle according to either lock 2, 3 or 102, 103 may confer to him/her.

In greater detail, according to a specific aspect of the present invention, in order to facilitate the comparison in the mirror, the. locks 2, 3 or 102, 103 may be fastened on the hairband 1 in a symmetrical manner relative to the midline of the hairband 1, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 4 shows a different embodiment of the fitting according to the present invention comprising a support consisting of a cap, or base, 201 for wigs and a plurality of locks 202 being removably connectable to the cap 201. The cap 201 and the locks 202 are configured such that at least two locks 202 differing from each other by colour and/or size and/or shape can be fastened to the same 201.

The use of a cap 201 for wigs, which is suitable to overlap the user's hair in a substantially complete manner, allows the latter to get an extremely precise representation of the appearance of his/her hair he/she may get according to one of the locks 202 being provided on the cap 201.

The cap 201, in the particular embodiment illustrated herein, also comprises non-permanent fixing means 205, 206 for one or more locks 202, which consist of male (or female) bands of a Velcro® strip. Similarly to the hairband 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the locks 202 can thus be easily coupled and removed from the cap 201, in order to allow a simple and quick comparison of a plurality of interchangeable locks 202 by the user.

Although embodiments in which the wearable support 1; 201 results arranged to fasten only two mutually different locks 2, 3; 102, 103; 202, have been so far illustrated, three or more different locks being fastened to the support 1; 201 can be nevertheless provided, to the purpose of allowing the user to compare several colours, or nuances of a colour at the same time.

Similarly, though not illustrated, the support 1; 201 may be any element, either rigid or flexible, more or less extended, and have any shape, size or material, which is capable to engage with said at least two different locks 2, 3; 102, 103; 202 at the same time, and in a removable manner, with a person's head.

Furthermore, though auxiliary fittings have been described for selecting a hairstyle in which the locks 2, 3; 102, 103 and 202 can be fixed to the relative wearable support 1; 201 only in a temporary manner, it is nevertheless possible to provide, without departing from the scope of the present invention, for the making of fittings in which the different locks 2, 3; 102, 103; 202 are integrally fastened to the same support 1; 101, for example by gluing or by means of mechanical holding means. 

1. An auxiliary fitting for choosing a hairstyle, of the type comprising a support (1; 201) that can be removably worn by a person on his/her head, and a plurality of locks (2, 3; 102, 103; 202) being connectable to said support, characterized in that at least two locks different from each other can be fastened on said support.
 2. The fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least two locks are different by size and/or shape and/or colour.
 3. The fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said at least two locks is removably fastened to said support by non-permanent fixing means (4, 5; 205, 206).
 4. The fitting according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said two locks is fixed to a male (or female) band (4) of a Velcro® strip and said support is integrally provided with at least one female (or male) band (5) of said Velcro® strip.
 5. The fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least two locks are locks of natural hair and/or false hair of any other material.
 6. The fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that said support is selected from a hairband (1), a band, a wig cap (201).
 7. The fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least two different locks are fastened to said support such as to be simultaneously and separately seen by the person wearing said support.
 8. The fitting according to claim 7, characterized in that said at least two different locks are arranged on opposite sides relative to the midline of said support. 